Dr. Wang held the tongue depressor, looking somewhat at a loss as he watched Su Tang perform the procedures with effortless grace.  

While swiftly wiping the child’s armpits and groin—areas with major blood vessels—with alcohol swabs to help dissipate heat, Su Tang rapidly explained to Dr. Wang, “Dr. Wang, the child is experiencing febrile convulsions. The priority is to keep the airway clear to prevent choking or tongue biting. Physical cooling combined with sedative medication is key. Chloral hydrate administered rectally works quickly and is relatively safe.”  

She provided a professional assessment while also preserving Dr. Wang’s dignity as the attending physician.  

By now, Dr. Wang had calmed down and nodded in agreement.  

The nurse soon returned with the medication.  

Su Tang skillfully assisted the nurse with dilution, lubrication, and the rectal administration, her movements gentle and precise.  

As the medication was slowly delivered, the child’s convulsions gradually subsided, and their breathing became much steadier.  

Su Tang then instructed the mother to continue wiping the child’s body with warm water to reduce the fever.  

The entire process took only a few minutes but was utterly nerve-wracking.  

The examination room fell silent—everyone was stunned by the calm professionalism of this young intern.  

In a hospital, where life, death, and illness are routine, emergencies should be nothing out of the ordinary.  

But this was only Dr. Wang’s second week on the job.  

He’d never encountered anything like this before, and the mother’s panic-stricken expression had shaken him badly.  

Dr. Wang looked at the fine beads of sweat on Su Tang’s forehead and her focused profile.  

His gaze was complex—gratitude, admiration, and a trace of barely perceptible shame.  

He opened his mouth but ultimately only murmured, “…Thank you, Dr. Su.”  

“It’s my duty, Dr. Wang.”  

Su Tang exhaled in relief and gave him a warm smile.  

She deliberately tempered her brilliance, returning the lead to Dr. Wang and only offering more tactful suggestions when he hesitated or needed guidance.  

Everyone’s like this when they first start at the hospital. It’ll get better with time.  

We’ve all been there.  

This scene was witnessed by Deputy Director Jiang Kang, who happened to be passing by on his way to the director’s office.  

He stopped and observed the entire incident from outside the examination room, a flicker of admiration in his eyes.  

The Director had mentioned Su Tang to him before, saying the hospital was in dire need of talent like her.  

But given the current circumstances—and Su Tang’s unique status—they had no choice but to bring her into the hospital through roundabout means.  

Now, seeing her in action, the decision to admit her seemed more correct than ever.  

No wonder the Director had said Su Tang would surely surprise them.  

At the end of the workday, Yuan Danqin ultimately didn’t make things difficult for Su Tang and wrote “Excellent” on her evaluation form.  

“Thank you, Director Yuan!”  

Su Tang beamed, bowing gratefully to Yuan Danqin.  

Yuan Danqin looked at Su Tang, the corners of her lips quirking slightly, and waved her off to clock out.  

Youth was wonderful—so full of energy.  

Su Tang was very satisfied with the day’s work, her face alight with happiness and excitement on the way home.  

As she neared the residential compound, she spotted a small crowd gathered near the entrance, seemingly watching some spectacle.  

Zhang Cui, sharp-eyed, noticed Su Tang immediately and pushed her way over.  

Her face lit up with mischievous excitement as she grabbed Su Tang’s arm. “Oh, girl, you’re finally back! Quick, look, look!”  

At the center of the crowd stood Lu Xiao, his posture ramrod straight.  

Before him was a young woman dressed in a crisp new military uniform—pretty, with a slender, graceful figure.  

“That’s Lin Qian, the star performer of our cultural troupe,” Zhang Cui whispered, giving Su Tang a heads-up.

Su Tang raised an eyebrow slightly. Well, well. Just dealt with Hu Lili, Zheng Jinxin hasn’t even made a move yet, and now here comes Lin Qian.

Lu Xiao’s peach blossoms were truly in full bloom.  

Lin Qian held an exquisitely crafted tin pastry box in her hands.  

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her bright smile directed upward as she spoke to Lu Xiao.  

Her sparkling eyes held undisguised admiration.  

“Captain Lu, these are pastries made by our cultural troupe. We brought some for everyone to try, and this box is specially for you.”  

Lin Qian’s voice was clear and melodious, her posture upright like a beautiful white swan.  

The onlooking wives whispered among themselves, their eyes darting between Lu Xiao, Lin Qian, and the newly arrived Su Tang, brimming with the excitement of watching a drama unfold.  

Lu Xiao’s expression remained impassive, his usual cold and stern demeanor unchanged as he gazed calmly at Lin Qian.  

He neither accepted the pastries nor spoke.  

Lin Qian seemed accustomed to Lu Xiao’s indifference and wasn’t discouraged. She extended the box further. “Take it, Captain Lu. You used to—”  

“No need.”  

Lu Xiao finally spoke, his voice quiet but sharp as an ice-forged blade, cutting clearly through the air.  

“Comrade Lin Qian, please share the pastries with others. My wife—”  

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and landing precisely on Su Tang.  

The ice in his eyes seemed to melt slightly, replaced by an indescribable focus. “My wife will make them for me.”  

Suppressed gasps and low laughter rippled through the crowd.  

Lin Qian’s smile froze instantly, her outstretched hand holding the pastries awkwardly suspended mid-air, neither advancing nor retreating.  

Following Lu Xiao’s gaze, she spotted Su Tang standing beside Zhang Cui, looking equally stunned.  

She had heard that Lu Xiao was married, that his city-bred wife had come to the northwest.  

She’d also heard she was very beautiful and now worked at the hospital.  

Lin Qian tightened her grip on the tin box, staring at Su Tang.  

Her pride in her own looks now seemed childish in Su Tang’s presence.  

Even without makeup, Su Tang was stunning—a natural, bone-deep beauty that Lin Qian couldn’t compare to.  

Lu Xiao no longer spared Lin Qian a glance. He strode straight through the crowd to Su Tang.  

His tall frame cast a shadow over her, bringing with it his familiar presence.  

Su Tang’s traitorous heartbeat quickened again.  

Lu Xiao looked down at her, pulled something from his pocket, and pressed it directly into her hand.  

It felt cool to the touch, with the smooth texture of metal.  

Su Tang looked down and saw a brand-new, gleaming silver Hero-brand fountain pen.  

In this era, it was undoubtedly a rare and valuable item.  

“For you.”  

Lu Xiao’s voice was low, betraying no emotion.  

“You’ll need it for work. Congratulations on finding a job.”  

Without waiting for her reaction, he turned and walked away, leaving behind a crisp, decisive silhouette.  

Su Tang clutched the weighty fountain pen, her fingertips still tingling from the brief warmth of his touch when he’d handed it to her.  

She looked up and met Lin Qian’s eyes, which were practically shooting flames.  

“Sister-in-law, let’s go. The sea buckthorns I picked earlier are fully ripe—I’ll make you some sea buckthorn oil cakes.”  

Su Tang calmly tucked the fountain pen away, her slightly raised eyes seeming to declare sovereignty.  

Lu Xiao really is something—knowing how to prune his own peach blossoms.

Zhang Cui eyed the shiny fountain pen and clicked her tongue, nudging Su Tang’s shoulder teasingly. “Not bad, girl! Brother Lu’s gift is way more substantial than a box of pastries.”  

“Come on, let’s go. Maisui and I can’t wait to taste your cooking.”  

Good-natured laughter rose around them.  

Lin Qian’s eyes reddened, and she turned and ran off.  

Zhang Cui glanced back at her retreating figure.  

“Honestly, this Lin Qian is something else. Before you came to the northwest, Lu Xiao had already handed out wedding candies to everyone—she personally accepted hers. And now she’s here stirring up trouble.”  

Hearing this, Su Tang chuckled softly. “She’s betting that Lu Xiao doesn’t like me, that’s all.”  

Put simply, given Lu Xiao’s status, even if he were divorced, there’d be no shortage of women lining up to marry him.  

Weren’t Zheng Jinxin and Lin Qian both eyeing exactly that?  

Who knew this man would be so sought after?

Did I unknowingly pick up a treasure?